Monday Americans will celebrate the day when America’s original thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England in 1776. This historic event eventually led to the formation of the United States.

In modern times, Americans are still fighting for their independence from fossil fuels. Until recently the primary source of fossil fuels have come from non-American sources, like Canada and the Middle East. Recently, however, America is gaining fuel independence through discoveries of home-grown sources, such as the Marcellus Shale in New York and Pennsylvania due to advances in horizontal fracking technologies.

Fracking, however, is a major source of greenhouse gases like carbon and methane. Not only do natural gas pipelines leak dangerous methane emissions, which has a greenhouse impact that is 25 times greater than carbon dioxide, but it is now the fuel of choice to power our electric grid. In fact, according to the Independent System Operator of New England, which manages our electric grid, 63 percent of New England’s power is produced using natural gas.

Why not claim our independence from fossil fuels altogether by investing in healthier and safer homegrown alternatives, such a wind and solar. Please call or write our elected officials, such as Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte to continue to fight for programs that support renewable energy projects, like the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, our first American plan to reduce carbon emissions.

Maureen Reno

Derry

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